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There are few things worse than the moment you realize a beloved pet has gone missing. As a kid, the entire course of my life changed when my best friend, a shelter mutt named Annie, got out of the house. We searched for her that night, but felt confident she would return the next day — she had done it before, why wouldn’t she do it again? I spent two nights camped out by the front door waiting for her. On the third night, my parents made me sleep in my bed. That’s how a 9-year-old learns about a broken heart.

So when Maverick the yellow Labrador didn’t come when called, the members of this family in Perham, MN., were devastated. They searched all over for their missing family member, responding to any tip they received regarding the dog’s whereabouts, as reported by WDAY in Fargo, ND. After two weeks, the family members feared they might have to say farewell to Maverick without any closure.

It was a neighbor who reported seeing a yellow dog in a ditch with injuries suggesting the animal had been hit by a car. The family’s father rushed to check, and sure enough, it was Maverick — malnourished and with one of his hind legs in a gruesome state. He had indeed been hit by a vehicle — and the incident had nearly ripped a leg right off.

Maverick was taken to the vet immediately, where his leg was amputated. Despite his ordeal, Maverick survived with dogged determination. Vets credit the frigid weather with slowing Maverick’s blood loss, allowing him to be reunited with his grateful family — albeit with one less leg.

But Maverick isn’t any less of a dog. According to his human pack mates, Maverick has sprung back to the dog they knew before he went missing. He’s regained his weight and his energy, and though his new stance still requires some getting used to, the indomitable spirit of this miracle dog means he has the chance to be with his family for years to come.

We sure hope Maverick’s human friends take extra precautions to ensure he’s never lost again — unlike cats, dogs don’t have nine lives.